Man indicted on four counts of aggravated sexual assault

Lucretia Cardenas

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Rosenberg man faces four counts of aggravated sexual assault involving the same child on the same day.

According to an indictment handed down by a Montgomery County grand jury Thursday, Daniel Rodriguez Jr., 34, allegedly molested a girl younger than 14 years old around March 3. He was indicted on four counts because Rodriguez allegedly “penetrated” the girl in multiple areas.

According to police reports, Rodriguez is related to the victim in some capacity. Although he is listed in court records as a resident of Rosenberg, his driver’s license shows him as a resident of Spring, according to Public Data. The alleged incident occurred in Montgomery County, but the exact city was not listed in the indictment.

He was arrested April 17 and was still in the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday in lieu of a $100,000 bond. A copy of the arrest record and warrant were requested from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Monday, but it was not available as of Tuesday’s deadline.

Steve Jackson, Rodriguez’s defense attorney who recently took the case, said he is still learning the details about the allegations.

“I’m still waiting for more information, but we will plead not guilty at his arraignment,” Jackson said. “We have a lot of work to do so we can prove his innocence.”

The case will be heard in the 435th state District Court of Judge Mike Seiler.

Rodriguez does not have a criminal history, according to Public Data.

Aggravated sexual assault of a child is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

In another county indictment Thursday, a 22-year-old Houston man faces charges of robbery for allegedly “committing theft of property” and threatening a Conroe resident in the process. Andrew Michael Merillat allegedly committed the act April 11 and was arrested on the charge the same day.

His case will be heard in the 410th state District Court of Judge K. Michael Mayes. Robbery is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.